Of Love and Family
by Mizilee
Summary: Tamaki Suoh built the host club to act as a psuedo-family for himself and it's members, and he lives by an 'everyone has a place' mentality. So, when Hunny's cousin comes into town feeling lost and out of place, Tamaki makes it his goal to help her feel at home. But how far will Tamaki go to make this young woman so estranged from her clan feel like she means something to someone?
1. 01: The Mysterious Blonde

**Chapter 1 :: The Mysterious Blonde**

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><p>"It's incredible really...how he finds the time."<p>

"You find time for the things you care about."

"But with all his studies, how does he manage to prioritize the goings on of this club? Even Hunny and Mori somehow find time to come in here and they're both in their second years at university."

Fujioka Haruhi circled the table draped with a pink table cloth, gold trimmed china plates in her hands. As she reached each table setting, she placed a plate down. After setting the last place, she turned to face two auburn-haired twins who stood side by side. They were distinguishable from one another only by the fact that they parted their hair in opposite directions. But to Haruhi, it was easy enough to figure out who was who even if they decided one day to flip their parts or swap voices. She was, after all, the reigning champion of the 'Which one is Hikaru?' game the twins so often played with the customers.

Hitachiin Hikaru, who stood on the left pressed his lips into a thin line, "Who knows? But the club was his baby. I don't think it's something he'd give up so quickly."

Hitachiin Kaoru, he stood on the right, placed a hand on his hip and nodded in agreement with his brother, "He cares a lot about it."

"I question if that's true considering he left it in your care." A smirk turned up the corners of Haruhi's mouth as she sauntered past them.

Haruhi moved across the room to a dish cart that held tea cups and desert plates and the forks that went with them, and collected a few more pieces. The twins whirled around.

"Hey, we've done a good job with the club!"

"We've hired better photographers for the photobooks."

"Found cheaper alternatives to costuming and set designing."

"Funded and hosted multiple events that all went off without a hitch."

"Increased the customer count by 15% since Tono left."

"And brought in four handsome hosts to fill in the other's places on the days they can't be here."

By their last statement, the twins had performed something of a pincer maneuver on Haruhi, standing on either side of her and preventing her from going towards the table or backtracking out of their verbal onslaught. She held her hands up in defeat.

"Ahh, fine! I admit the Host Club stands strong."

Satisfied with her response, the twins moved to the side and let Haruhi continue to set the tables.

"And it will continue to do so forever!"

"Forever!" Kaoru chimed in response to his brother.

"Forever? We're in our second year. We only have the rest of this term and then our third year before we leave Ouran as well." Haruhi calculated, "Surely by then, Hunny and Mori will have gone on to better things, Kyoya already doesn't check in very often...do you think Tamaki-senpai is really going to nurture this 'child' of his for semesters to come? And what will he have to show for it when all's said and done?...nothing more than an empty music room."

The twins tilted their heads towards one another, their eyes fixed on Haruhi as she looked at them very plainly, waiting for their response. But nothing came, not because the twins had no opinion on the matter, but because the door to the Third Music Room had suddenly creaked and opened very slowly and distracted them. Haruhi turned on her heel and the group waited a moment to see if someone would walk through. But no one did.

"Strange." Haruhi murmured, cautiously inching closer to the door, "Excuse me? Is anyone there? The club isn't open yet..."

No response. Haruhi glanced back at the twins, "No answer."

"The hinge on the door might just be faulty." Hikaru stepped towards the door with his brother in tow. The closer he got to the door, the more he sensed someone was there, by his guess probably a shy customer who had the opening time of the club confused. He put on a soft smile to attend to the person, "I'm sorry, but if you come back in-ah..."

There was a ruffle of fabric just a second before he reached the door and the sound of quick footsteps echoing through the hall. Hikaru pulled the door back and poked his head out to see the back of a female with honey blonde hair, and she was quickly running away.

"I wonder who that was." Kaoru questioned, to which Hikaru simply shrugged, "She must not have been a student, judging by her blue dress."

Hikaru leaned away from the door and moved back into the club room, leaving his brother to shut the door, "Maybe she's one of the University students."

Haruhi had returned to setting tables, looking up when the term 'University' was used, "University?"

"Mhm." Hikaru answered and Kaoru glided over to one of the tables and settled down into one of the seats, "You know Ouran Academy covers the entire educational spectrum: From primary schooling to higher education. Honestly, Haruhi, where do you think Tono, Hunny, and Mori went?"

The girl shrugged slightly, setting the final table setting before pushing the cart that once held all the plateware towards the back of the room, "I don't know...I guess it just never occurred to me they could still be at Ouran considering how infrequently we see them."

"Well, all three of them are in the University section of the grounds. It's a long walk from the High School building, so it's practically like they're gone. But they're closer than they would be if they'd gone somewhere else."

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><p>Her footsteps were fast, her strides long and her hair whipped behind her as she bolted at top speed down the hall and out the nearest door. It happened to lead her to a courtyard where she paused and leaned back against the wall of the building and gazed up at the clouds lazily drifting by. Blowing out a frustrated breath, she reached into the front pocket of her dress and extracted a silver cell phone, which she flipped open and pressed a single button to dial the first person on her speed dial.<p>

"Hari-chan! How are you? Did you find the Host Club where I told you it was?"

The girl ran her finger along the back of the phone, "Ahh...yeah. Yeah-yes, I did find the Host Club. But it wasn't open yet. I heard someone in there say so. I left."

"Whaa? Hari-chan, you should have said that I sent you there! They would have let you in."

'Hari-chan' let out a small sigh and leaned her head back against the wall, her eyes meeting the sky once again, "I think I'll just wait for you instead, Mitsukuni. I don't mind waiting."

"Wait outside the High School building! Takashi and I will be there very soon, okay?"

"I think I might just go home."

"But...but..." His voice sounded so desperate and so heartbroken the girl felt her heart break in two, "I wanted you to make friends! You'll like the Host Club, I know you will!"

"I don't think-"

"And they'll love you as much as I love you! I promise."

The girl pressed her lips into a thin line, the words striking the chords of her heart with a power she hadn't expected. Her mouth opened and closed, making her look much like a fish out of water as she tried to form words.

"Harime?"

"I'm here!" She said hastily into the phone, "I'll see you at the main house, Mitsukuni."

And she ended the phone call. The girl flipped her phone shut and pressed it to her lips as she remained glued to the wall, "He has so much patience for you, Harime, and you can't even meet his Host Club friends..."

Suddenly there were footsteps and Harime pushed herself off the wall, concerned she might come face to face with a teacher or someone who'd seen her sprinting down the hall not a few minutes ago. She could barely open the door to a deserted music room, how would she explain herself to someone who actually had reason to be at the school? The girl noted the direction the footsteps were coming from and moved in the opposite direction, rounding the corner of the building just in time for another person, a young man who's hair was a paler blonde than her's, to round the other corner, a curious expression painting his handsome features.

He moved closer to the spot where the girl had just been standing and thought for a moment to follow in the direction he'd heard the girl run off too. She'd mentioned the Host Club and one of it's Hosts, and anyone who seemed invested in the club and it's members was someone that Tamaki Suoh definitely wanted to meet. But with the hour of the Host Club's opening creeping up on him, he knew he couldn't simply chase after her. And so, Tamaki simply turned and entered the door to the building through which the girl had run and made his way up the stairs and down the hall to that Host Club he'd determined was important enough to continue visiting.


	2. 02: Family Problems

A/N: Quick note! I wanted to mention that this story taks place in a slightly AU Ouran universe exactly two years after the start of the anime, thus putting the hosts at the following ages: Hunny and Mori are both nineteen, Tamaki & Kyoya are eighteen, and Haruhi and the twins are seventeen. Therefore, this story is a year after Tamaki and Kyoya graduated, and two years after Hunny & Mori graduated. I wasn't sure how clearly I'd communicated that, so I just thought I'd clarify. That said, enjoy Chapter 2!

**Chapter 2 :: Family Problems**

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><p>It really was an incredibly nostalgic sight, if not a bit bizarre.<p>

Tamaki had made it to the club room sporting his old High School uniform and in front of him stood Hikaru and Kaoru, both of whom had assumed saluting positions in front of their former 'King'. A year ago, Tamaki's making wild demands while pacing back and forth in front of his willing 'subjects' would have been nothing out of the ordinary. But today, as Haruhi sat a nearby table watching them, it was more nostalgic than anything else. Like she was replaying old memories. She knew that come the end of this two hour period, Tamaki wouldn't be running off to his next class and she'd by chance see him in the hall. No, he'd be leaving the high school building all together and going on to deal with the much more adult world of University. That realization made her stomach twinge in an unpleasant sort of way.

It was her own fault, though. Her own words from before that she'd hoped would wake up the twins that had, in fact, woken her up to the truth.

_Forever? We're in our second year. We only have the rest of this term and then our third year before we leave Ouran as well...do you think Tamaki-senpai is really going to nurture this 'child' of his for semesters to come?_

Even if the Host Club had been the bane of her existence once, it wasn't anymore. These people...these very rich idiots were her friends. Perhaps they'd all find a bonding point when they reached University level, but what if they didn't? Was this small familial unit that Tamaki had built for them really on the verge of falling apart?

"Haruhi!" Tamaki's excited cry ripped her from her thoughts and she looked up at him, her eyes widened at the portrait he was suddenly holding, "Look! Look! Don't you think this will be perfect for you to wear in next week's theme?"

She blinked confusedly at the portrait, altered no doubt by Hikaru and Kaoru's, of her with long hair, standing in a sultry pose in what looked to be a pair of denim shorts and a halter top. Her hair had been pulled up into a sporty ponytail and she wore heels, while holding a sign that said 'Round 1'

"N-no...No! I'd never wear that! What is this theme?"

"Fight Club!" Tamaki responded enthusiastically, whirling around before standing still again and setting the portrait on the ground, "Women love the look of a sweaty man training and fighting hard to take the title of champion for themselves. The idea of it is we'll all be fighters, wearing boxing gloves and silky robes."

"Why can't I be a fighter then?"

"Because Daddy won't have you walking around without a shirt like those fighters do!"

"Then I'll wear a shirt! I don't want to be a ring girl!"

"It'll ruin the effect if-"

"No."

Tamaki's whine echoed throughout the music room, "B-but, Haruhiiiii ~ !"

And that's when the chase began. It was also at this point, when Haruhi was being tailed in circles by a pleading Tamaki, that she realized the twins weren't truly running the club. Their former king was controlling it vicariously through them, because every theme they'd done since his graduation, whether he was present for activities or not, had been his idea.

* * *

><p>"Hari-chan! Hari-chan!"<p>

Mitsukuni Haninozuka looked utterly grief-striken as he came up the cobblestone walkway leading to the high school building. He whirled around a few times, hoping maybe his cousin had hid herself somewhere that wasn't so out in the open, but he saw her nowhere. Sniffling, he plopped down on the ground, pulling his legs close to his chest as Takashi Morinozuka came up behind him.

"Your uniform will get dirty, Mitsukuni."

They both wore their old high school uniforms for their Host Club activities, but the state it would find itself in if Hunny stayed on the ground didn't concern him at the moment. Drawing circles on the ground, Hunny sighed.

"I don't know how to get through to her, Takashi. She just doesn't listen sometimes...I don't know how to make her-"

The taller student let out a small sigh and sat down on the ground beside him, "Give her time, Mitsukuni. She'll come around."

Hunny looked up, his eyes watering with tears of concern. It wasn't to uncommon of an occurrence to see the boy cry. He was a sensitive one, but in this moment, his tears were more real than they'd been a very long time. His heart twinged uncomfortably and he sniffled, biting back the urge to yell up at the sky in frustration for fear of drawing to much attention to themselves.

"She hasn't come around for five years."

"You understand why."

A single tear finally fell, plopping soundlessly on the ground, "It's just not fair, Takashi. I want her to make friends...and to be loved...but she won't-" Hunny sighed again, resisting the urge to lay face down on the path, "She knows I love her, doesn't she? And she knows you love her?"

Mori's response was a simple nod. And this made Hunny nod furiously and stand up stamping his small feet into the ground and forcing a smile, "And that's all that matters! She'll come around! Let's go, Takashi, we'll be late!"

And with that, the small boy jumped onto the shoulders of his cousin and gave a toothy smile as he walked into the building. As they moved through the halls of the school, students were filing out of their classrooms and host club customers began waving and following the two of them closely to the club room. From up on Mori's shoulders, Hunny smiled down at them and touched the hands that reached up to him, saying 'hi' and wishing them good luck in their studies and encouraging them to come to the Host Club to support him and the rest of the members.

When they reached the door of the club room, Hunny and Mori were forced to say goodbye, but their fans remained crowded outside the door as they stepped inside to find...

"Leave me alone, senpai! I won't wear it!"

Hunny giggled and hopped down from his cousin's shoulders, landing catlike on the ground, "Good Afternoon!" He exclaimed happily, bringing a stop to Tamaki's pursuit of Haruhi and bringing smiles to their faces.

"Good Afternoon, Hunny-senpai." Said Haruhi cheerfully, stumbling forward as Tamaki collided with her, "How are you?"

"I'm great! Takashi's great too, aren't you?"

Mori nodded silently. Tamaki set the portrait against the wall and moved closer to Hunny before kneeling down in front of him with a very serious expression. Hunny simply smiled at him.

"How are you, Tama-chan? Are your studies okay?"'

"They're fine, senpai..." Tamaki said softly, tilting his head to the side, "Are you okay? You've been crying."

Hunny's expression fell and his hands immediately flew to his face, as if he'd be able to feel the redness of his eyes. It took a few moments of staring closely, but one by one Haruhi, Hikaru, and Kaoru all seemed to realize that while cheerful, Hunny's face was showing obvious signs of distress and sadness. Hunny laughed a little and took a wary step back, rubbing at his face.

"I'm okay! I promise. I just..." He fell silent, glancing up at Mori who's expression remained stoic. Though somehow, Hunny could translate his expressionless features. 'It's okay' he was saying through stone cold eyes, and Hunny turned his attention back to Tamaki who looked concerned. He opened his mouth to speak, "Family stuff." He said.

"Is everything okay at home?"

Hunny turned to face the twins, not ignoring Tamaki but resigning to address the issue after asking, "Hika-chan, Kao-chan, you didn't see my cousin come by, did you?"

Kaoru crossed his arms over his chest and looked to his brother, "Depends." Said the older twin, "Was she about this tall, blonde hair, blue dress?" He waved his hand up a few inches above his own head, indicating the girl had been a bit taller than himself and his brother.

"Yeah! That's her."

"We saw her running away." Kaoru continued, "She stood by the door for a little while, but then she ran off before we could say anything"

Hunny returned his attention to Tamaki who'd gotten to his feet again, and as such, he had to look up to speak to him, "Tama-chan, my cousin Harime is in town from Paris. She's staying for a month and a half...I tried to get her to come to the club so she could meet everyone, but I guess she got nervous and left. She's gone back to the main house now."

"That must've been who I heard a little while ago in the courtyard." Tamaki mused, crossing one leg over the other and resting his weight on his left foot, "She was on the phone with you, I assume. But that still doesn't explain the tears."

Hunny shrugged a little, casting his gaze down the floor he answered, "She's really nice and smart. She's studying to be a nurse and was taking lessons in a special school in Paris for a while, but now she's come back to Japan to get certified. She's the youngest in our family to ever do something like that at eighteen: just like you, Tama-chan. She tested right out of secondary schooling...so she's a great person."

The rest of the club seemed enraptured by Hunny's tale, but feeling uneasy at the obvious amount of sadness in his voice.

"Hari-chan's just...she's really difficult to introduce sometimes. She has a hard time with people: My aunt, her mom, thinks there's something wrong with her brain. A social anxiety problem but I know that's not it..." Hunny looked up, his lips pressed in a thin line as he moved past Tamaki in stood in the middle of the small circle of hosts that had formed, "I really want you guys to meet her! She needs to have friends so she can decide whether or not to stay in Japan. I want her to and so does Takashi. So promise me, everyone, that you'll be nice to her when I finally can get her to come, okay?"

Silenced passed. It was no surprise to any of them that even Hunny had his secrets and his problems within his family. Who among this circle of friends didn't, really? They all shared a common enemy in familial issues. And so, one by one they smiled and nodded at Hunny who's mouth turned up into a smile. The small boy cheered happily.

"Yay! I'll get her to come as soon as I can. But for now, there's a lot of customers waiting outside!"

"That's right!"

Tamaki immediately took charge of the club that was no longer truly his and the hosts immediately fell into formation. It was then that he noticed a particular dark-haired friend of his was not in the line-up. But no sooner had he thought that did the door open and in walked the raven-haired former student in his old uniform. A smile crept over Tamaki's face as he motioned him over.

"Decided to skip studying for the day, Kyoya?"

Ootori Kyoya ran a hand through his hair, straightening it out as the girls crowded closely to the door had done a number on it during his attempt to get into the club room, "Only because I wouldn't hear the end of it from you if I didn't."

Kyoya too took his place in the Host Club formation and, like a true leader, Tamaki took the forefront. Haruhi stood at his side and glanced up at him and the rest of it's members. More than half of them weren't even students at the High School anymore, and one of them clearly had other places he'd rather be. But somehow, there they still stood as a unit, a team.

A family. One that clearly still intended to stick together.

Haruhi smiled as she heard the clock tower chime the hour and the door to the Third Music Room flew open. A gaggle of girls crossed the threshold and stood with wide eyes and smiles. And each and everyone of them squealed happily as their beloved hosts chimed, "Welcome!" in unison.


	3. 03: The Charming Prince Lends a Hand

**A/N: **This chapter is a tad longer than the others, but hopefully it's not to much!

**Chapter 3 :: The Charming Prince Lends a Hand**

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><p>"I'm so pathetic..."<p>

Somewhere between dodging the Host Club and now, Haninozuka Harime had managed to get herself completely lost on the expansive Ouran campus. Had she escaped the Host Club through the high school building's normal exit, she'd have been able to follow the cobblestone path to the main road. But in her efforts to avoid contact with a mysterious someone who'd might've caught her, she'd made things complicated for herself and ended up crossing the campus into an area she was unfamiliar with.

Harime sat on a bench somewhere towards the east end of the campus near a fountain where a few casually dressed students were relaxing in the grass with textbooks. A few others meandered by, chatting and laughing with one another. It would have been easy enough to just ask for directions, but at this point, she was certain her best option was to wait for the message she'd left on her cousin's cellphone to reach him and he'd come find her. And so, there she sat for nearly two hours until she heard her phone chime. Quickly she answered it, "Mitsukuni?"

"Harime-chan! Where are you? I'll come find you!"

"Um..." She said, the incessant beeping her phone was making made it difficult for Harime to concentrate on trying to describe where she was. The battery was dying, "I'm on a bench...there's a fountain behind me and I'm looking at a tall white building with a sign that says 'Sociology'."

There was no response right away, and Harime sat there waiting for her cousin to respond. After a moment she spoke into the phone again, "Mitsukuni?"

Harime pulled her phone from her ear to see that the screen had gone black. The young woman's stomach turned over violently as she snapped it shut and realized that she was, by all rights, stranded.

"This isn't good...this isn't good at all."

Harime let out an exasperated sigh and stood to her feet, resigned to the fact that she now had no choice but to ask not only how to get to the main road, but to borrow someone's cell phone to call a car to come pick her up. The thought of it was maddening and embarrassing._ You're so much smarter than this, Harime. How could you let this happen?_ Mentally, she reprimanded herself, walking towards a young man who seemed to be heading towards where she'd just been sitting. He was dressed more formally than the other students she'd seen so far with a pressed white shirt and black tie, his pants were crisp and clean and he wore black dress shoes. Draped over his arm was a light blue jacket, and as he walked, his blue eyes glanced around the area.

"Excuse me? I'm so sorry to bother you..." Harime said timidly, her words sincere. She really didn't want to bother this put together young man, but something about him seemed welcoming.

He looked to her, kindness in his eyes and a small smile, and opened his mouth to speak, only to snap it shut within the moment and press his pointer finger to his bottom lip.

"Oh...Haninozuka Harime?"

Harime took a wary step back, "How do you know my name?"

With her statement confirming his suspicions, the blonde smiled sincerely, "I know your cousin. Hunny-senpai told us about you: you're the cousin in blue who's come from Paris, aren't you? The one who was to scared to come greet us at the Host Club. You two bear a striking resemblance to each other."

Harime was at a loss. Words seemed a foreign concept to her: French Words, English Words, Japanese Words, she couldn't form any of them as the stranger explained how her reputation apparently preceded her. Looking like a fish again, her mouth opened and closed once, twice, and then one more time before the stranger laughed and took her hand into his. Warmth shot through her palm and her fingers, radiating up her arm. What was he?

"My name is Suoh Tamaki", He said kindly and kissed her hand lightly,"I work with your cousin in the Host Club. Senpai was very distressed about you."

This forced words out of her, "He was?"

Tamaki let her hand fall from his and he held his jacket with both arms close to his stomach, "He was excited to have you meet us, but when you ran off, it seemed to upset him."

She sighed a bit, "That wasn't my intent..."

"Surely it wasn't!" Tamaki responded, as if offended by the mere thought that she might have really wanted to hurt her cousin. The sharpness of his response made her jump slightly, "Of course it wasn't your intention to offend him. But you'll be able to explain that to him yourself and then, soon, come visit us. Are you waiting to meet him here?"

And just like that, Harime was reminded of her situation, "Not quite...I got turned around when I left and started wandering and got lost. My cellphone battery died when I tried to make a call. So..."

"So you were wanting to ask to borrow mine to call him?" Tamaki reached into the pocket of his jacket an pulled out a cellphone identical to her's. Harime couldn't help but smile a bit, the first real smile she'd had all day as she slowly took it from him.

"Thank you, Suoh-san."

"Anytime, Haninozuka-hime."

The use of the term 'Princess' made her cheeks flush. This wasn't typical behavior for Harime: playful words and little compliments had as good an effect on her as it could've had on any other young woman, but it took much more than a pretty man's smile and compliments to make her blush so fiercly. But being lost and stressed affected her more than she realized, and she was obviously more susceptible to his kindness. She cleared her throat as she flipped the phone open.

"A Host Club, was it? You must compliment all the girls that way. Right?"

She attempted to lace her words with confidence, not wanting to let on that he'd affected her. Harime took a few steps forward, sauntering past the handsome young man who kept a smile on his face even at her accusation.

"You're right, I do say things like that often." Tamaki shifted his coat over into one arm so as to free up the other, with which he took the girl by the waist and brought her to his side, "But I mean it to every young woman who comes to see me. Every single one of them is a Princess, deserving to be treated kindly and with respect."

Harime involuntarily cleared her throat, doing her best to not be bothered by the young man's grip on her. Tamaki was so unlike anyone she'd met before with his flamboyant manner of speech and motion, but at the same time something about him was incredibly familiar. It frustrated her that she couldn't put her finger on just what it was.

"Tama-chan, hi!"

Mitsukuni's voice on the other line brought Harime out of her thoughts, "No, Mitsukuni, it's Harime."

"Harime! Tama-chan's with you?"

"Yeah. My cellphone died when you called me and he happened to come by."

"That's good! I was worried about you when our phone call broke off."

Harime smiled a little, glad to hear his voice. She licked her lips in thought, involuntarily leaning into the young man that was holding her as she continued, "Mitsukuni, I'm sorry I disappeared."

"It's okay, Harime! You'll meet the rest of the Host Club when you're ready to. You and Tama-chan stay right where you are okay? Tell me where you are and I'll come find you. And tell Tama-chan 'thank you' for protecting you!"

"Oh...n-no, I don't think it was all that. I wasn't in any danger or anything, just lost but um..." Harime pressed her hand on the mouthpiece and looked at Tamaki. When it occured to her she'd gotten just a little to comfortable in his hold, she hopped back out of his grasp and said to him, "He says thank you for keeping an eye on me."

Instead of responding, Tamaki motioned for her to give back the phone. For a moment, she hesitated, but what with it being his phone, she couldn't rightfully deny him. And so, she passed the cellphone over.

"Hunny-senpai? Don't worry about coming and finding Harime. I'll call a car and bring her back to the Haninozuka estate myself so she's not waiting outside any longer than she already has."

Harime's eyes widened a bit and she waved her hands in silent protesting, desperately trying to communicate that his kindness was far from necessary, but he seemed to be paying her no mind as the phone conversation continued. Tamaki went on to assure Hunny that his cousin would arrive home safely, and then he hung up the phone, ending the call without giving her a chance to say goodbye.

"Suoh-san...this isn't necessary. Really, if you'll just let me use your phone again, I could call the main house myself and arrange to get home on my own."

Tamaki slid his cellphone into his pocket before, with a flourish, whirling his jacket around his back and sliding his arms into the sleeves. He then straightened it out and held out an arm to her with a smile, "Please, call me 'Tamaki'. And now that I've found you, I feel responsible, so I'll bring you home myself. And I won't take no for an answer."

The blonde was all smiles, and it was incredible to her how he could remain so cheerful. Harime closed her eyes, letting out a breath. She'd regret this. She knew all to well she would absolutely and completely regret this, but it was obvious he wasn't giving her much of a choice. And if nothing else, it gave her a chance to examine him a little closer and perhaps pick out why he seemed so familiar to her. Eyes still shut, she slipped her arm into his and spoke.

"I won't say no then." The girl opened her eyes, but rather than looking at her escort, she kept her eyes locked straight ahead of her.

Tamaki examined her face, noting her resemblance to Hunny. In fact, with her determined expression: cheeks puffed slightly and brown eyes staring straight ahead, she looked almost exactly like him. It made him laugh a little, then suddenly a lot. So much so that he had to cover his mouth to stifle his own laughter when Harime looked up at him.

"What is so funny?"

"Nothing! Nothing, Haninozuka-hime. You just look a lot like your cousin-your expression was cute. Let's go then, shall we?"

The two strode across the campus, moving away from the fountain and down a covered corridor that led out a tall wrought iron gate. After passing through it, Harime glanced back behind them to see a sign that read 'Ouran University'. So she'd somehow wandered to the university end of the campus: that explained the casually dressed students. And judging by the outfit her escort was wearing, she assumed him to be a high school student. But he seemed older than that. Outside the gate, a tall man with graying hair stood near an expensive looking black car.

"Good Afternoon, young master." The man bowed and opened the passenger side door for them, not seeming to acknowledge Harime's existence.

"Hatcha, this is Haninozuka Harime. We'll be bringing her to her estate first before going home."

"Yes, young master. Please make yourself comfortable, Haninozuka-san."

Harime gave the driver a small nod before climbing into the spacious backseat of the car. Once inside, she slid all the way to the opposite end and smiled politely at Tamaki who slid in beside her and crossed one leg over the other. Instictively, Harime hooked her ankles. The door was shut and after a few moments, Hatcha climbed into the driver's seat and started off down the road.

"So, Haninozuka-hime." Tamaki started, "Tell me about your studies. Hunny-senpai mentioned you were training to be a nurse?"

"Tamaki-san, I don't think you need to keep calling me '-hime'." Harime said, lacing her fingers together in her lap, "I'm not a Host Club cutomer. You can call me 'Harime'."

"Harime, then."

And then it was back on her to divulge her academic life, a topic of soreness for her honestly. But she remained polite, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear.

"When it came time for high school, I managed to test out of most of the required classes for first, second, and third year."

"So you're a genius?" Tamaki interjected, "Impressive!"

"I don't know if that's true, I was never tested for that. But apparently I was towered over others academically...so I began junior college, fulfilling a couple extra high school credits before I was given my high school diploma while taking university level classes. I knew early on I wanted to study nursing, but I also wanted to study abroad to since I wasn't given the chance to, with my lack of time in high school. So I found a small private college in France that emphasized advanced and progressive nursing techniques. Seemed the obvious choice. So that's where I studied. I came back here to get my Japanese certification, and then I'll decide if I want to work here or in France."

The car turned suddenly down a long, winding road that Harime recognized as the path that led to the estate. It was closer to Ouran than she'd realized, though the trip down the tree-lined path was bound to take a little while with the estate be buried well out of sight from the main road.

"France is beautiful, isn't i?" Tamaki beamed, "I've been. Or rather, that's where I'm from originally. I'm half french, half japanese. Interesting mix, isn't it?"

"Very." Harime responded, "But with that hair and those eyes, it doesn't surprise me. You look nothing like a typical Japanese person."

"I'm not the only one in this car with blonde hair."

Harime instinctively touched her hair, twirling a strand around her finger. She had no excuse for her hair color, and could only say that it was an anomaly that seemed to affect both her and Hunny. She sat upright and turned her head to face out the window, watching a blur of green trees fly by. Again, quiet in the car. Not uncomfortable, but a natural pause in the conversation. The closer they drew to the estate, however, the more she felt uneasy with accepting Tamaki's offer.

"Hunny-senpai wants you to stay in Japan, you know." Tamaki said, causing Harime to bite down on her lip. She knew this already, but hearing it again made her feel guilty as she intended to return to France.

"I haven't decided yet." She lied.

"And I think you should! Japan is a wonderful country." He said happily, "Full of beauty and wonderful people, and all us Hosts to be your friends."

"...Did Mitsukuni ask you to say these things?" Questioned the nurse-to-be with a small laugh, glancing at him.

Tamaki shrugged a bit and gazed through the dashboard to see the Haninozuka estate come into full view. The car pulled up to the front of the estate and Harime practically launched herself out of the car, not even allowing Hatcha to open the door for her. Quickly, she made her way up the steps. Tamaki got out of the car as well.

"H-Harime-chan!"

She whirled around and gave Tamaki a small bow, "Thank you, Tamaki-san, for taking me home. I'll just-!"

"YOU! Frustrating girl, get in here now before your uncle sees you!"

A woman had slammed open the shoji screen and reached out to grab Harime's arm. Her nails practically dug into her arm and the girl whimpered as she was pulled inside. This was the sight Harime had dreaded Tamaki would see. He stood on the opposite side of the car, stunned at what he was witnessing. Harime was ripped out of his sight so suddenly, and a moment later he was staring eye to eye with the dark-haired woman who'd grabbed her. She put on a polite smile.

"Thank you very much for bringing her home."

And with no more said, she slammed the screen shut again, leaving Tamaki with his mouth slightly ajar in shock. Somehow he thought he wasn't meant to see that happen, but more than that, it didn't seem like the proper way to treat someone, even if she wasn't of the same high social class as he was. He could only imagine what would happen if someone at his own estate other than his Grandmother or Father had tried to yank him inside.

"Was that her mother then...?" Tamaki murmurred, hoping this to be so. And even still, he didn't think it okay for a mother to pull at her daughter like that.

"Are we ready to go, young master?"

Tamaki looked to Hatcha who stood poised with his arms behind his back by the driver's seat. Sighing a bit, Tamaki nodded and got into the car.

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><p>And that's it! Please, if you read the chapter, don't hesitate to leave me a review! It's one of the factors that motivates me to keep writing. Also, if you haven't seen it, I encourage you to go check out my other Ouran story on my profile called 'Ryusei no Kizuna'. In that story, our beloved hosts are experiencing the strange effects of a meteor that crashed near the Suoh Estate. It's very sci-fi supernatural-esque. (Hosts with psychic powers? Yes please!)<p> 


	4. 04: Curse of the HariHun Cake

**Chapter 4 :: The Curse of the HariHun Cake**

( Five Years Ago )

The dojo is a place of respect, honor, and dedication. A strong will and a hardworking spirit. The Haninozuka dojo is the epitome of those values. For generations, the clan dedicated themselves to the Martial Arts with each member being a not only a master of the art, but a renowned world champion. Girl or boy, short or tall, young or old, to be a member of the Haninozuka clan means meeting certain expectations and maintaining a peak physical fighting condition. Each member of the clan understands that.

Hunny's father, Yorihisa, was a tall and intimidating man. Sandy hair and brown eyes, several feet tall and seemed to be made entirely of muscle, he sat cross-legged in a separate room of the family's dojo, staring straight ahead at the sliding shoji screen door. After a few long moments, it slid open and a chestnut brown-haired woman with equally brown eyes stepped in. She was no less intimidating than Yorihisa, taking long confident strides across the room in her karategi*, a black belt secured around her waist. But there was something about her that made her especially frightening that particular day. Today, it was evident in her eyes and the way she clenched her fist, the stiffness of her entire body as she knelt down in front of her brother, that this woman was on the defense. And there was little else more terrifying in the world than a mother on the defense.

"You know why you're here, Yoshiko" Yorihisa said sternly, "It's written all over you."

Yoshiko was silent a moment, but did not break eye contact with her brother. She let out a slow, steadying breath to de-tense her muscles-should this conversation dissolve into an impromptu sparring match as many of their conversations did, she'd be no good with tension coursing through her.

"Harime is not meeting the expectations set for her in the dojo."

"Her vertebrae was practically shattered!"

"It has been seven weeks since the doctor took off her back brace. Her surgery was a success, was it not?" He snapped back, "As a member of the Haninozuka family, she's expected to put her whole self into her training. Even if she is limited, she's to put everything she can manage into it, but she is doing the exact opposite. Taking more breaks than the others, stumbling and struggling on a regular basis. It's nothing to do with an injury, Yoshiko, she's lost her will."

Her sister gritted her teeth, "How can you say that? How do you know?"

"I know the look of a defeated opponent. She made a careless mistake in training and the result was not only an injury but severe embarrassment. We're a family that prides itself in our combat abilities, but the defeat she suffered that day still plagues her. She's given up, she can't even muster the determination to redeem herself now!"

Her patience and respect for her older brother had had run out. Yoshiko stood and assumed a fighting stance, a subtle way of challenging the Haninozuka clan member sat in front of her. Yorihisa narrowed his eyes a bit and swiftly stood, and within seconds the clash of skilled older family members had begun. Years of practice had turned these two into battle-hardened combatants and that was evident in the artful way they danced around the room with a flurry of jabs and kicks. Yoshiko pushed her palm towards her brother's face, but with a swift swing of his arm, he blocked it and grabbed an opening to send a kick towards her torso. She lifted her leg, blocking the kick with her knee before setting it back down and attempting to pummel her brother into submission.

"You weren't at the doctor this past week, Yorihisa!" She snapped, "Harime has every ounce of determination to redeem herself. But she can't! Her injury is more severe than you or I could have ever…imagined!"

Her last word came out labored as her brother had attempted to jab her shoulder. Yoshiko foolishly hopped to the side, rather than block it, knocking her off balance. It was only for a brief moment, not even half a second, but it was enough of an opening for Yorihisa to act. He took hold of Yoshiko's arm, and before she could fight him of, whirled her around and pushed his palm into the middle of her back, pinning her to the ground. He kneeled over her, keeping her to the ground. There was silence between them, but their heavy breathing echoed through out the whole room.

"She's lost some motion I her arms and legs, Yorihisa. And it'll never come back." Yoshiko said in a hushed voice, "That's why she hasn't be performing well. Because she can't. If she continues to train…it'll only make it worse. She could become permanently disabled, brother, Harime can't practice martial arts anymore. If she looks at all defeated…it's because she knows she'll never be a great martial artist, and in the eyes of you and the others, how else is she supposed to redeem herself?"

Yorihisa stood upright, releasing her sister from his hold and tightening his belt, "…I do not know."

_*For those of you who aren't familiar, 'karategi' is what martial art training uniforms are called._

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><p>"Welcome home, young masters."<p>

Hunny gave a curt bow to the servant who greeted him and Mori before sliding off his shoes and walking towards the kitchen of the grand Haninozuka estate. With Host Club activities concluded for the day, he had nothing else on his agenda, so his priority was getting home and looking for his cousin. Letting out a small sigh, Hunny recounted the events of the day in his mind. Harime had vanished, skipped out on meeting the Host Club, and gotten herself lost on the University end of the Ouran campus. It's not as though he was unfamiliar with this behavior: his cousin was hard to hang on to at times. So, it didn't surprise him in the least when she disappeared. But that didn't make him any less concerned about her.

"Hari-chan?"

He knew his cousin all to well. Old habits die hard, and whenever Harime was in town, she had a habit of stationing herself in the kitchen for hours on end. There she stood at the kitchen island, and in her left arm was a mixing bowl. In her right, was a wooden spoon and she was blending the contents of the bowl together. At hearing her name, Harime looked up and gave a small, but sad smile.

"Did Auntie get mad?" Hunny questioned.

Harime stopped mixing and tapped the wooden spoon against the rim of the bowl, "Of course she did. But that's nothing new. She didn't want your dad to see me, so I'm hiding out. Here, taste this."

Harime held out the mixing spoon. Eyes wide with excitement, Hunny hurried over and snatched the spoon out of her hand and licked the back of it, "You're making a HariHun Cake!"

"I am making two HariHun Cakes." She responded, "Because one is never enough. If Hunny doesn't eat it all, there will be enough for you to, Takashi."

Hunny happily licked the cake batter off the spoon. He hummed contently and danced in circles around the island his cousin worked at. HariHun Cakes were an old tradition shared between Harime and Hunny, born of a rather sad sentiment. It was Harime's way of coping with things, a way of pouring her frustration or sadness into something productive so as to not let it out on anyone. And since Hunny was often the first to eat some, the cake recipe affectionately became known as HariHun and, in recent years, became a snack that only the two of them ate. But with Takashi standing by the door, they couldn't very well exclude him. Since leaving for France, there had never been a visit back to Japan in which Harime didn't make the cake. Not always out of sadness, sometimes just for the heck of maintaining tradition. The cake was a bonding point between herself and her smaller cousin. The truth always came out over HariHun Cake, promises were made over HariHun Cake, and smiles and tears were shed over HariHun Cake. The flavor was chocolate and strawberry and it was poured into a star shaped pan, then baked and iced with a red peppermint frosting and a little 'H' piped onto each point in white peppermint icing and a single red strawberry placed in the center. It represented them both: Strawberries for Mitsukuni, Peppermint for Harime.

"You're not making it because you're sad are you?" Mitsukuni finally asked after the silence had stretched on for too long, "You're making it because you haven't made it since you got here."

Harime floured two star-shaped pans and tipped the bowl into the first one, "Better to be sad and make cake than to be sad and go lock myself in a room, hm?" She said and used a spatula to spread the batter into the corners of the pan, "This is nothing new, Mitsukuni. I go out, I run the risk of your dad seeing me when I get back and reminding him of all the ways I've failed the Haninozuka family, I make cake, we eat cake and then you go to the dojo and I go in my room and study."

"You haven't failed anybody!"

Harime set the bowl down on the table firmly. A small laughed escaped her lips, "Uncle Yorihisa's ashamed of me and thinks everyone's better off if I'm not seen or heard. All because I'm better at healing injuries than I am at inflicting them."

"Dad isn't ashamed of you" Hunny continued, "He just wanted you to be the best! And it makes him sad that you can't train anymore. You can't help what happened..."

"I should have been able to. I made a careless mistake." She focused her attention on pouring batter into the second cake pan, "And because of that, I've been rejected by the rest of the family over time. So rejected that my mother, your aunt has to rush me into the house before uncle sees me."

Harime set the bowl back down on the counter and grabbed both of the cake pans, then moved over to the ovens and slid them in on the top rack. With a frustrated sigh, she slammed the over door shut, "I tried my hardest for thirteen years and all I have to show for it is an untreatable disability that makes me no more useful in a dojo than a cake pan."

Such was the curse of the HariHun Cake. Even before it was baked, the truth and emotions of both parties had been spilled out over the kitchen island, and Harime was feeling more depressed than when she'd first walked in. Meeting the Host Club would only add to the inferiority she already felt on a day to day basis being at home. A super rich school of genius students, all having such comfort in themselves and in their home lives that they're able to laze around with one another sipping tea and eating sweets. She, the black sheep of the family, felt it was inevitable she'd be rejected there as well. If her own family, the group of people who were meant to love her irregardless of her shortcomings, couldn't accept her for who she was, why would these strangers? What made them so special?

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><p><strong>AN: **And that's the end of this chapter! Now you know a little bit more about Harime. If you favorite or follow the story, I encourage you guys to leave a review too! I wanna know what you think and I wanna know if you get as excited or tickled by the same parts I do. It really goes a long way if you leave a review, so please do so =3


	5. 05: The Five Elements of Family

**Chapter 5 :: The Five Elements of Family**

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><p>"Good Morning, Tamaki-san!"<p>

"Ahh, Good Morning!"

Morning came cold and windy the following day, and Tamaki's first class of the day was at the height of the cool weather. So he, and other students who had a class that morning, walked the campus in sweaters, jackets, and gloves to fight off the cool November air. As he made his way across the courtyard and waved at the students who greeted him, various thoughts floated through his mind, but the most prominent thought was of a particular blonde young woman who had, since the day before, snuggled comfortably into the back of his mind and made a habit of moving to the forefront every now and then.

Ask anyone in the Host Club and they'll tell you that, as clueless as Tamaki can sometimes be, he's extremely empathetic. And since meeting Harime, his brain just wouldn't let go how sad the girl was. She could fool anyone with her smile and cute, Hunny-senpai like appearance, but her tone and the way she spoke of her studies gave Tamaki a sense that she wasn't the most content woman in the world. And seeing her shuffle out of the car and get dragged into her home, miserable, only solidified that sense.

"Good Morning, Tama-chan!"

He wanted to help her somehow.

Hunny jogged up to him, a toothy grin on his face and a black jacket whipping behind him as he ran and jumped, landing squarely in front of him. Mori trailed behind, catching up a few moments later.

"Good Morning, Hunny-senpai." Tamaki said cheerily.

"I just wanted to thank you for taking care of Hari-chan yesterday!" The blonde said, "It was nice of you to take what I said about making her feel welcome to heart."

Tamaki waved his hand in dismissal, "Of course, senpai! Your cousin is as precious to me as she is to you"

Something about that statement struck a chord within Hunny. Tamaki could see it clearly in the way his eyes, often so bright, dimmed ever so slightly and only for a moment before his expression was taken over again by glee.

"I hope you mean that, Tama-chan."

Tamaki took a moment to glance at the watch on his wrist: ten minutes until his next class. There might've been better times to try and discuss this, but with the subject poking at the back of Tamaki's brain so incessantly, he wanted to get it out rather than be forced to deal with it during a two-hour lecture.

"Hunny-senpai, why does Harime-chan seem like such a sad person?" He questioned, "It seems so unbecoming of anyone related to you to be like that."

The smaller blonde's bright expression faltered again slightly, "I don't know what you mean, Tama-chan. Hari's jut stressed and tired from her studies."

"…Hunny-senpai…" Tamaki fell down on one knee, reaching Hunny's level and looking into his brown eyes. It seemed the easiest way for Tamaki to connect to him, was from this standpoint reminiscent of when the two first met "I want to help. But I can't do that if you can't tell me the whole story. Does it have to do with what you said about all of us making her feel welcome?"

The statement left Hunny feeling slightly torn. On one end, he knew Tamaki's passion and determination could be exactly the thing needed to make a situation better. He'd gotten through to so many people and accomplished many feats just out of sheer will to do so. But on the other hand, Hunny wasn't sure if it was okay for him to give Tamaki permission to try and solve Harime's problems. At the end of the day, no matter how many members of Haninozuka family rejected her, that rejection and it's repercussions were for the Haninozuka family to deal with. Tamaki would be overstepping his bounds.

Wouldn't he?

Hunny shook his head, reaching out for Mori's hand quickly and yanking at it, "It's okay, Tama-chan, there's nothing wrong."

Tamaki watched the two walk away, letting out a small sigh before he called to them, "It's the responsibility of the Host Club to bring happiness to others. Whether or not they're customers. That's our number one priority, Hunny-senpai."

Still walking, Hunny looked up at Mori who's eyes were staring dead ahead of them, "Should we let Tama-chan help, Takashi?"

"I don't know."

"I don't know either…" He mused, "I know Tama-chan means best but sometimes he…"

"Gets out of hand."

Hunny nodded, "But…if we don't do something soon, Harime's going to take her exam and go to France and we might never see her again if she doesn't feel happy at the main house."

Mori said nothing this time and Hunny came to a stop, letting out a small breath. What else could he do? Whirling around, Hunny expected to have to shout for Tamaki to return, but the other blonde hadn't moved an inch. He remained rooted on the spot, staring at the two of them with a hand on his hip.

"I wonder how Tama-chan's chest hasn't exploded from the size of his heart yet."

Mori simply nodded and followed Mitsukuni as he trotted back over to the other blonde. And there he proceeded to tell Tamaki Harime's story. Of a careless martial artist who slipped up in training and got injured, thus resulting in a nearly shattered vertebrae and her inability to train. How her lack of training resulted in a general disdain from many members of the family and how she now feels as though, essentially, she has no family. He explained how her feeling of inadequacy made her run to France, and that same feeling is what's tempting her to return once she's certified. Tamaki listened intently, touched by Hunny's words and heartbroken at Harime's plight. This was more than he had imagined—a girl utterly rejected by the ones she once called family. She was truly miserable, and that was suddenly all the more clear to him when he thought back on their conversation in the limo. If his heart could physically swell from the information he was getting, it would have exploded by now. Hunny's voice was barely above a whisper as he concluded.

"And yesterday we got in a fight over HariHun Cake and-"

"HariHun Cake?"

Hunny nodded slowly, "It's a tradition she and I have. She makes this really delicious cake and we eat it together and talk. But yesterday when she was making it, she got it upset and didn't eat any. And I was too sad to eat it…it's still at home."

If the situation hadn't been serious enough already, the fact that Hunny was too sad to eat cake made the situation somewhat dire. In Tamaki's mind anyway. And It would be just as serious to the rest of the hosts, wouldn't it? Tamaki believed so whole-heartedly and pulled his cellphone from his pocket. He had a plan, and all the hosts had to be involved.

"Hikaru! Today after school, you and the rest of the hosts need to be at my house promptly at 3. We have a dire situation in regards to Hunny-senpai and Harime-chan and it's our responsibility to-What do you mean you don't have time to?! This is Host Club business!"

Hunny sighed a bit, "Tama-chan's not the leader of the host club anymore." He murmured to Mori, "So he can't really boss anyone around like he used to unless they're willing to let him."

"Planning for the masquerade ball can wait a couple of hours! Come to my house after school with the rest of the hosts and resume planning after!...Worth your while?! Have you forgotten the purpose of the Host Club? If you won't do this for me, do this for Hunny-senpai who's suffering!...Good! I will see you then."

Slightly flustered, Tamaki hung up the phone and ran his fingers through his hair, "Don't worry, senapi. The Host Club will bring an end to yours and your cousin's suffering. But I have one favor to ask of you."

"Hm?"

"When you come over today at 3, bring Harime's HariHun Cake with you."

* * *

><p>There were verbal protests from both Kyoya and Haruhi at the prospect of having to convene at Tamaki's house after classes, but at the end of the day, they all knew that the consequences of <em>not <em>making an appearance would be far worse than having to endure their former leader's rant.

"We'll barely have enough time to finish putting in the orders." Haruhi said to Kaoru in the car as they pulled up to the Suoh estate. Sat on her other side was Hikaru, and across from them 4 handsome young men, "The party is this weekend and it's already Wednesday."

"I made some calls in between classes." Kaoru said with a small smile, "The masks from our mother's warehouse will be delivered tomorrow, so we can set them up and let customers choose the ones they want for the party tomorrow during club activities."

"That was smart of you, Kaoru!"

"Oi, he got the idea from me." Hikaru protested, "I called the caterer during lunch."

Upon reaching the front of the estate, the limo driver pulled the door open and all 7 of the host club members climbed out. The twins and Haruhi led the way and the other four trailed behind. Inside the estate, Tamaki, Kyoya, Hunny, and Mori were all stationed in the dining hall where Tamaki had a large easel and a presentation prepared. Laptop in front of him, Kyoya clacked away on the keys, just barely listening to his friend speaking about the importance of family and acceptance and how today was going to be the first step towards providing a better life for Harime.

It amazed Kyoya, really, that even after a year of being in college, Tamaki still put so much effort and time into these random tasks. It became clear to him that the Host Club and all the good it accomplished was more than just a side hobby for the blonde, but a lifestyle for him. And it just so happened that Kyoya and the others, as his friends, were forced along for the ride. The doors to the dining hall opened and in walked Haruhi, the twins, and the others

"You're here! Everyone's here!" Tamaki said cheerily, rushing over from the front of the table and pulling out chairs, "Over here, over here, come sit down! We have a lot to discuss!"

And then Tamaki noticed them. The four young men who had come in behind the twins and Haruhi were all pulling up chairs besides Kyoya and tossing curious glances at the presentation board Tamaki had set up. Eyes narrowed, he shuffled over to Hikaru and Kaoru and poked his head between the two of them.

"Who are they?! This is a host club meeting!"

The twins sighed, "And they're hosts, tono." Kaoru said, "You've met them before."

"What, do you think Kaoru, Haruhi, and I manage all the club activities by ourselves when you and Kyoya and Hunny-senpai and Mori-senpai have classes?"

"We hired new hosts after you left high school."

"I've never seen them before in my life!"

"Yes you have." They chimed in unison, "From right to left, starting with the one next to Kyoya—Eisuke, Aiba, Matsumoto and Minoru."

Sat closest to Kyoya was the one apparently called Eisuke, short with chestnut brown hair and glasses. He sat upright at the table, fingers laced together and he tossed glances every now and then at Kyoya's laptop. The older one didn't seem to mind this much, only glancing at him occasionally before returning to his work. Next to the brown-haired boy was a taller boy, Aiba. His hair was brown as well though his was streaked blonde and his entire demeanor seemed considerably more relaxed than the two hosts beside him. He cracked his knuckles once, twice, then one more time which made Tamaki cringe. He tossed a glance at the blonde and winked. Next to the relaxed one was Matsumoto who looked incredibly nervous to be in Tamaki's house. His green eyes, partially visible between locks of black hair, darted around the room, taking in all the expensive décor. With his height, he could see past Mori, who sat across from him, and at the buffet tray that held tea and the cakes Tamaki had asked Hunny to bring. Last but not least, sat beside him exuding regality and charm, was the one called Minoru. Hair dyed silver, his eyes were carefully studying what he could see of Tamaki's presentation, and after a few moments he visibly scoffed and looked away, mouthing the word 'stupid'.

Biting back the urge to forcibly remove the confident person from his table, Tamaki cleared his throat and stood upright, moving to the head of the table. He clapped his hands and into the dining room walked one of the Suoh estate servants who promptly began slicing the cakes.

"Everyone! The happiness of one of our host's family members is at stake! And as all of you know…" His eyes trailed over the four newest hosts, "The motto of the Host Club is to bring happiness, especially in the case of those who desperately need it. We will continue our normal Host activities—"

"Do you really get to say 'we'?" Said the silver haired boy, tilting his head to the side, "You Tamaki-senpai who's only at the club once or twice a week? Why do you get to call the shots?"

"Minoru!"

He flinched. Visibly flinched and looked to the one who'd called his name. Haruhi stared at him, "I know it's a waste of time that we're here. But if it weren't for senpai, the host club wouldn't exist and you wouldn't be here at all—so you should respect him and take what he says as seriously as you can. It's important to him that we're here and listen to his plan to help Hunny-senpai's cousin."

Tamaki melted on the spot, "Haruhiiii ~"

"Go on, senpai."

Tamaki cleared his throat and motioned for the servant to start handing out servings of cake, "What you're about to eat is the cake made by a horribly sad and miserable young woman. Because of something that's happened in her past, she's been shunned by the entirety of her family. In one bite, you will be able to taste years of heartache and desperation! ('Doesn't sound like anything I want to eat..' Aiba murmured) I promised Hunny-senpai that we would pool the abilities and resources of the host club to provide for Harime-hime a feeling of family and acceptance so she will feel happy enough in her life to make an educated decision about whether or not she should remain in Japan or return to France."

All around the table, hosts began eating the cake. Hunny seemed excited, inhaling his piece in one bite while the others ate at normal paces, their expressions lighting up. 'Delicious!' a few said 'This is really good!' Hikaru could be heard murmuring to Kaoru that the cake needed to be served in the host club if at all possible. Satisfied with winning them over, though only he couldn't see that none of them had tasted 'years of heartache and desperation', Tamaki continued

"And so, I would like to enact this!" Tamaki motioned to his board, "'Operation: Create a Loving Family Like Environment for Harime-hime and Prompt Her to Stay in Japan and Not Spend the Rest of Her Days Miserable." Beneath that mouthful of a title, were poorly drawn etchings of the Host Club members hugging who everyone assumed was Harime, "And we'll achieve this by simulating the 5 crucial elements that make up the family environment."

He cleared his throat and pulled away the first board to reveal the second which had six words listed in bullet form.

"First 'Acceptance', Second 'Protection', Third 'Shared Traits', Fourth 'Playful Teasing', and Fifth 'Love'. Step one of this plan will be acceptance: Proving to Harime that she is loved and accepted regardless of her short-comings. Hikaru! Kaoru!"

"Yes, sir!" The twins saluted promptly, hopping up from their seats. Haruhi shook her head, amused.

"The two of you and Hunny-senpai will go the Haninozuka Estate and tell Harime how much her cake is loved by us Hosts and talk her into making more for the host club. That will bring her to the school and when she sees how many customers like her and her cake, then we will be closer to completing step one!"

"Yes, sir!"

"As we progress further into the plan, I will reveal to each of you what your roles are." Tamaki said, leaning down on the table, "But it's of the utmost importance that when you all meet Harime for the first time, you make her feel welcome! We're doing this for Hunny-senpai, for Harime, and for the reputation of the Host Club itself!"

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><p><strong>AN: **Thank you for the feedback and favorites!—I'd like to pose a question to you guys though. My biggest concern here is that, because I don't write Tamaki very often, I'm afraid I'm making him ooc. I'm terrified I'm writing him horribly, he just doesn't come as easily as writing the rest of them. So, if you review, let me know what you think of both the story and the way I'm portraying Tamaki.


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